Officials close Vet’s Park beach

Kate Hessling, Tribune Staff Writer

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, July 1, 2009

PORT AUSTIN— Even though the Huron County Health Department closed Veteran’s Waterfront Park Wednesday after water tests found high levels of E. coli in the waters there, village officials vow this weekend will be the biggest Big Bang Event ever.

“We are set to have the largest Fourth of July weekend we’ve ever had,” said Village President Tony Loewe.

A beach is closed because of unsafe E. coli levels in deep waters when the daily geometric mean of three samples collected in 3 to 6 feet of water exceed 300 E. coli colonies per 100 milliliters (ml.) of water. About 30 ml. equal 1 fluid ounce.

Test results issued Wednesday found Veteran’s Waterfront Park’s geometric mean this week was 1,027 E. coli colonies per 100 ml. of water. The park had the highest geometric mean, second was 66.7 at Philp County Park and third was 58.39 at Lighthouse County Park near Port Hope.

In reaction to the health department closing Veteran’s Park in Port Austin, Loewe said he was frustrated because the village has spent millions of dollars on a sanitary sewer system and there are no farms within the village limits.

“E. coli is feces, and it’s coming up the Gallup Drain and the Bird Creek Drain,” he said. “The runoff is not coming from Port Austin.”

Loewe noted E. coli counts are always higher following rain events, and he suspects retesting will show the beach is safe for swimming this upcoming holiday weekend.

And even if it isn’t, he said, the Port Austin’s Big Bang Event still will be a fantastic event.

“No swimming events are scheduled,” Loewe said, adding there will be between 250 and 300 vendors on hand at the Port Austin Farmers Market until 3 p.m. Saturday, as well as a huge parade scheduled at 1 p.m. and at dusk, the biggest fireworks display the village has ever had.

“ … In all seriousness, I expect to see as many as 30,000 people in the Port Austin Area … for the market, parade and (Big Bang) events combined,” he said, adding there will be a shuttle service running from Gallup Park, which is a designated parking area, to the events in town.

Huron County Environmental Health Director Dale Lipar said the health department will retest Veteran’s Waterfront Park Thursday morning. Because test results take 24 hours, the new test results will be available sometime Friday morning.

This is the second week of this summer’s program, which is funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The Huron County Health Department announced earlier this month this summer’s weekly testing program will be conducted through Sept. 4. The testing only will be conducted in deeper waters, at least 3 feet in depth.

The Huron Daily Tribune will publish weekly test results for Huron County online at www.michigansthumb.com. The health department’s test results from Thursday’s resampling will not available as of press time Friday morning. The results will be published on the Tribune’s website.